The invention relates to a housing assembly for electrical or electronic built-in components, and in particular, to a housing assembly with an outer housing featuring two side walls, a rear wall, a front cover, a roof and a floor; and including an inner housing that is lodged inside the outer housing at a distance from these wall parts.
A housing assembly of this type is indicated as known in WO 96/34519, wherein a cuboid inner cabinet is built inside a water splash-proof outer cabinet with spacing on all sides. The inner cabinet is provided with a cooling device. However, it has been determined that such prior housing assemblies have various aesthetic and functional shortcomings associated therewith.
Therefore, it is a primary object and feature of the present invention to provide a housing assembly for electrical or electrical built-in components which is aesthetically pleasing.
It is a further object and feature of the present invention to provide a housing assembly for electrical or electrical built-in components which incorporates advantages with regard to the impact of the weather thereon.
It is a still further object and feature of the present invention to provide a housing assembly for electrical or electrical built-in components overcoming some of the problems and shortcomings of the prior art.
In accordance with the present invention, a housing assembly is provided having an outer housing with a generally convex roof which curves downwardly in the direction of first and second lateral walls. The outer housing further includes a generally convex front cover which curves toward the front thereof. The transition between the roof and the front cover is formed by an obliquity that drops off from the roof toward the front of the outer housing.
The convex-shaped roof and the forwardly directed obliquity provide not only a visually appropriate appearance, but also provide for moisture to be conducted away as rapidly as possible from the roof area, so that negative influences caused thereby are diminished.
To lead moisture away from the roof, there are further favorable features including a removable front cover having an upper edge area receivable under the obliquity and being held in place by a catch; and a front edge of the obliquity being provided with a curved outer contour which closes off the front cover or projects over it with a small, constant spacing, such that the upper edge of the front cover is covered and a drip edge is formed by means of the front edge of the obliquity, with water collecting in the most forward area of the drip edge and being conducted away by means of same. The catch holds the front cover secure.
The catch is protected within and also prevents unauthorized access to the interior of the outer housing. It is provided that the catch is accessible for unlocking by means of at least one lateral bore hole in the outer housing.
Alternatively, it can be provided that the front cover is built as an outer door and that the front section of the obliquity from the front edge of the roof onward is constructed over the upper side of the outer door.
In order to implement air conditioning by using natural convection, favorable measures include providing horizontal ventilation slots in the upper end area of the lateral walls and/or the rear wall. These slots are covered by lamellae that are directed obliquely downward and extend outwardly from the laterals and/or rear wall. Cut out sections are provided in the floor and/or the underside of the front cover.
A favorable situation for fastening the inner housing to the outer housing results if the inner housing is fastened in the outer housing by connecting means on its rear side and on the inside of the rear wall of the outer housing. The connecting means advantageously features spacer sleeves or rubber buffers. Rubber buffers can simultaneously dampen any oscillations.
In order to access the inside of the inner housing, a particularly advantageous measure in connection with the removable front cover is that the inner housing features a door with a lock on its front side, and that a mounting plate is arranged in the inner housing. Built-in components in the inner housing can be attached in a simple manner to the mounting plate.
The mounting plate may be angled at least on one side, extending along the rear wall of the inner housing and along at least one side wall of the inner housing, in order to provide sufficient area to mount electrical components thereon.
To implement air conditioning, while minimizing space, a heat exchanger is arranged on the upper side of the inner housing in an opening.
In order to also assure the greatest possible constancy of internal temperature, even when intense variations in outside temperatures arise, a thermostat may be provided in the inner housing and/or a control for the air conditioning and a heating unit may be provided.
A stable, and in particular, a vandal-proof attachment of the housing assembly is achieved by means of the fact that on the rear wall of the outer housing a device is provided for mounting the housing assembly on a pole or a wall fixture.